The girls are loving Spelling Power, and I am so glad. It's been challenging in a good way for my natural speller, and it's been empowering for my not-so-natural speller -- news that just warms a homeschooling mama's heart. In grammar, they both studied types of sentences; Tiny Girl focused on declarative and interrogative sentences, and Miss Priss learned about those two types as well as imperative and and exclamatory. We continued with a survey of Tennyson's poetry; Heidi, which they read independently and then narrated; The Age of Fable; and Treasure Island.
We are clicking along in math and logic, with times tables drills in addition to their lessons. Miss Priss worked with plane shapes and polygons this week, and Tiny Girl continued estimation and calculation. The Mind Benders grid puzzles continue to be a favorite activity.
In sciences, we began our study of the skeletal system, read chapter four of Minn of the Mississippi, and finished chapter one of Madam How and Lady Why. The girls enjoyed learning about our bones, but are still not enamored with the latter book. As for Minn, they each read the chapter independently and then narrated for me.
In history, we learned about Mary, Queen of Scots, in SOTW. They both read independently and then narrated. Bible study, copywork, Latin, French, and piano continued as ever. The Keys for Kids devotion book has been a huge blessing for us!
This was our first week with independent readings followed by narration. To be honest, their narrations were a trifle weak, quite a bit weaker than when I read aloud. However, if I asked them to describe or tell me about (fill in the blank), they were able to do so in more detail. So I'm hoping this "weakness" is merely transitional.
On the activities side of things, we had some fun and then some not-so-fabulous excitement and drama. Our Girl Scout troop met for the first time this school year, and we had a great meeting. That, I classify as fun. However, at the barn where our leased pony resides and Tiny Girl takes lessons, there have been upheavals and changes. That, I classify as decidedly not fun, especially when it makes me sleepless and slightly nauseated. It's one of those situations where there are no easy resolutions, and whatever choice you make that's best for your family, you'll end up disappointing (at the very least) or even angering other people. Since I like confrontation about as much as I like having my toenails ripped out (gross image and I apologize, but it really is an accurate analogy), this has been wearing me down all week. We are only involved indirectly (thank the Lord), but we are the ones having to make the difficult decisions. Ain't that always the way, I ask you?
The flowers pictured above are my black-eyed Susans in Maine. They were especially lovely this summer. I thought you might enjoy them.
How was your week?
Sounds like some definite tops over the turvys :) Mary, Queen of Scots is one of my favorites to study! Lots of great books in your homeschool.
ReplyDeleteFirst to say your weekly wrap ups have me in admiration. It's something to dream about and hope for my own girls some day!
ReplyDeleteAnd about their narrations from their independent reading...could it be that when we read independently we do it in a more relaxed way and it takes a biggest effort to remember? And that more time passes between reading and narration?
It's a different narration exercise, as you say, give it a bit more time to mature.
I only have to say it sounds quite accomplishing all they have done.
And about that situation...it's ALWAYS LIKE THAT. I also am a very non confrontational person. I'm a bit pleaser and I take it very personally if I feel any signs of not being liked, accepted, not to mention when I have to do or say something that it's going to grant me some animosity. Ellen, it's worse the moments prior to the "moment", once you say and do what you have to, you can usually sleep and feel better.
Nonetheless we'll be thinking about you.